Aizen the Benevolant
by geooceanstorm
Summary: Ichigo must -with the help of Urahara, Yoruichi and his friends- rescue Rukia Kuchiki from the Soul Societies' Justice. However this time something has changed. Aizen is not puling the strings instead the fiendish plan comes from someone else. Can Ichigo work with Aizen not only to rescue Rukia but also to defeat the rising threat. The consequences of this change will be grave.
1. Chapter 1- The Way Things Are

Title: Aizen the Benevolent

_What if the roles had been reversed? What if the benevolent Aizen had realised the plans of the evil Urahara and done everything to stop him. What if Ichigo had been Urahara's pawn his first arrived in Soul Society. What would the consequences have been if Aizen and Ichigo fought for Soul Society together?_

Chapter 1. The Way Things are

Blood dripped, falling like raindrops scattering across the ground. Ichigo convulsed, bent double over his sword as he struggled to catch his breath. His knees were trembling, sweat had drenched his brow and the pain in his arms and shoulder were monstrous and blood cascaded down his skin. He turned his eyes up from the rocky ground, and saw Byakuya. The proud noble reduced to his knees bleeding heavily and lamenting his lost pride. Ichigo straightened up and took a deep breath of relief. He'd done it, rescued Rukia, achieved Bankai and defeated Byakuya. _Now at last we can return home, me, Rukia and all my friends _he realized with relief .

_Clop Clop Clop, _the sound came to Ichigo's ears from behind like the breathing of an eerie shadow. _Clop Clop Clop,_ the sound continued, growing louder with each strike, like the footfalls of an approaching giant. Ichigo turned apprehensively, gripping his sword tighter, his robes waving with the motion. The footsteps belonged to a man. A man wearing wooden shoes. A man who grinned confidently and showed no intention of hiding himself despite his exile. Kisuke Urahara, ex-captain of Squad 12.

"Well well well Ichigo. Very impressive." He applauded with a raccoon-like smile, shadow from his hat falling over his eyes, cloaking them in darkness. "I must say your growth has been impressive, you've made the perfect distraction."

Ichigo who was still struggling for breath could only exhale the word: "Distraction?" Confused at Urahara's presence there and his frustratingly flippant attitude. But Urahara rather than answer the question responded with more of his flippant attitude.

"Yes Ichigo," he smirked in a way that he might compliment a student who just asked an insightful question. "A wonderful distraction that allowed me to cover up what I was doing. Allowing me to get what I wanted." Urahara was no longer looking at him but instead at the broken execution stand, still grinning frustratingly.

"What have you done?" Demanded Ichigo angrily, his rage at the mysterious Urahara building by the second. "What have you done to Soul Society?" Urahara's grin merely expanded further.

"Now Ichigo," he chastised "Don't tell me you've become so attached to this place already. You've only..."

"Cut the crap!" He roared at Urahara, "What have you done?!" Urahara's face fell as if disappointed at Ichigo was unwilling to play his game.

"What I've done Ichigo," began Urahara. His voice had fallen and become as sinister as the shadows over his eyes. "Is play you, right from the start."

The sun set a deep orange over Soul Society, dragging out shadows and tugging away the warmth of the day. The window let the dying light pass through, glinting off the glass. Out in the streets some lower Squad members were lighting lamps and beginning night-watch shifts.

"Renji, Renji." Came a distant voice, along with a tapping on his hand.

Renji Abarai, the newly promoted lieutenant of Squad 6 tore his attention from world outside and pulled himself back to reality.

Momo and Kira the lieutenants of Squads 5 and 3, were looking a him, their faces ripe with concern.

"Sorry what were you saying?" He asked as if he had merely missed what she said.

Kira and Momo exchanged a look and then turned back to him. Their worry etched into their faces.

"Renji," began Kira, "since you can back from the World of the Living, you've seemed really distracted and distant. Is... is something wrong?"

"Is it Rukia?" Interjected Momo meekly and quietly, worried about hurting Renji's feelings. Renji sighed disparagingly, and turned his eyes to the table. "It's not just that." He muttered, as if he didn't want them to hear. "It's not just that Rukia's gonna be executed, its also..." He broke off again as if embarrassed, but when he raised his head, Momo was giving him a look that said _tell us or I'll introduce you to Tobiume._

"There was this kid," He admitted ashamedly, "a human kid kid who stole Rukia's powers. A total rookie too: couldn't even call his Zanpukuto's name. But he moped the floor with me, right in front of Rukia and Captain Kuchiki." He avoided their gaze again and looked back down from the table.

There was a small silence as Kira and Momo exchanged glances, but then Momo spoke up.

"So you're ashamed that you even though you just made lieutenant in order impress Rukia and beat Captain Kuchiki but you were beaten by a novice, so you think they think you're weak?"

Renji did not respond but they could tell she was right on the money.

Kira hesitated for a second before asking.

"Was this kid strong?"

Renji gave a sullen laugh,

"I'll say he was strong. His sword was as tall as his body! I'm amazed he could even lift it!"

"And you were only at a fifth of your strength right because of Gentei Reiin right?" It wasn't a real question and it went a long way to making Renji feel better.

"Yeeeeeeah." He mused "I guess the odds were stacked against me. There's no way Rukia or Captain Kuchiki would think I was weak." He was smiling at last and Kira and Momo could no have been more relieved.

Only half an hour later when moon had risen, and they were saying their cheerful goodbyes did Renji really open up. Kira was making his way back to his barracks to give some papers to Captain Ichimaru: a trustworthy captain with a very contagious smile, who had made Kira even more cheerful than he used to be.

Momo was about to leave as well when Renji told her what he hadn't been willing to share before.

"Momo," he began, scratching the back of his head self consciously, "your a girl right?"

Momo looked both shocked, betrayed and embarrassed and she only stammered an incoherent response nervously.

"What I mean," spluttered Renji trying got recover his composure "is you know about girls right?"

Momo nodded still looking embarrassed.

Renji tried to find the right words "in the fight," he explained, "Rukia was screaming at the guy to run away, but he wouldn't, she was trying to hold me back so he could run. But when he began to win she didn't react at all, she just let it happen." He'd started telling her but know he couldn't stop telling her. "I just know she cared about that guy, and know he's dead and she's gonna die and I'm the one who arrested her and it's all my fault." There were tears in his eyes as he looked down at Momo, he'd started telling her to receive advice but he realised that were nothing that could be said to him, it wasn't a question it was a confession of his guilt. They stood apart from each other in the dimming, deserted street with nothing to say at all.

When Momo returned to her barracks she found with a start that Captain Aizen was still working.

"Good evening Momo." A silky voice said as she past by the room. Momo gave a gasp and a jump of surprise. The door was slightly ajar and she could she Captain Aizen behind his desk and with some papers, smiling at her with her thick glasses glinting humorously.

"Captain Aizen!" Momo exclaimed in a hushed voice, "I'm sorry I had no idea you would still be up." She looked down not wanting to show that her cheeks were burning. But Captain Aizen just chuckled again and bid her goodnight.

As Momo left he turned back to his concealed pocket monitor. It seemed that Kisuke Urahara was getting ready to send Ichigo to Soul Society. Urahara was ready to begin much faster than Aizen was. Captain Aizen drew a deep breath a frowned thoughtfully. He knew, since he always knew, that he was going to face difficult times ahead of him.

It was a great and dull roar that huge blocks rained from the sky. They fell out of the blue with tremendous force, making a sound like an orchestra of thunder as they landed like dominoes in the perfect shape around the Seireitei. Dust flew high up in their wake, blotting out view of the walls completely. All eyes in Soul Society turned to see the sight of the Seireitei's walls coming down from high above.

One of the people who saw the falling walls was Captain of Squad 2 and Stealth Forces: Soi Fon. She saw the falling crescendo of descending walls and formed one of her frequent scowls. The falling walls could only mean one thing: Ryoka. She knew that Jidanbo was there to defeat any would-be intruders. But then again... She glared down at the map of her squad's patrol routes. _Presently _she thought to herself as she examined the map _Omaeda's patrol should the nearest to the Gate. _She groaned internally, _I hope Omaeda is smart enough to realise that if they get past Jidanbo they may be strong enough to be dangerous to him... who am I kidding I should just call Squad 4 now._

The man currently in question was lieutenant of Squad 2 Omaeda Marenoshi, a tall, fat man, with hair that was losing a battle for possession of his scalp. He in standard squad gear but also many expensive golden accessories. As Soi Fon was thinking this he and his patrol were directly next to the gate and he was lying on his face. Omaeda rubbed his eyes trying to get the dust out. The rest of his patrol were either coughing and spluttering or gaping at a space where there had just a moment ago there had been clear sky and fresh air, when suddenly it had been replaced by towering wall, topped with watchtowers.

Omaeda picked himself up to his hands and knees, and scuttled back frightened. He stood for several moments gaping at the wall and its massive bulk. By the time he hand come to his senses and got his troops into order, the dust had settled and another patrol had come to inspect what had happened but they were keeping a wary distance from the wall. But as Omaeda was ready to begin given commands his authority was torn away from again, this time by an almighty eruption from the other side of the wall and some kind of chanting. So powerful was the sound that the ground trembled with each strike and dust into the air again. There was a brief pause whilst everyone's ears rang with the silence but a mere couple of seconds later another even greater explosion rocked the ground sending Soul Reapers to their knees.

There was another moment of silence as the soldiers expected yet another explosion to come crashing through. But nothing happened, instead a great lamenting howl that made their spines crawl rose up from behind the impenetrable wall. Omaeda recognised as the voice of Jidanbo. What ever they had done to Jidanbo it appeared to be causing him great agony.

The men were beginning to panic as the wail faded away and Omaeda felt his knees trembling. But to save face he turned to the wall and laughed, he needed to look brave in front of his men.

"So the invaders could beat the ape. He was weak anyway. They'll never be able to lift the wall and even if they did I'd take care of them even if there were a hundred! Hahaha!" He boasted, throwing back his head to laugh. But the sound died in his throat as the towering gate was slid upwards to open. The gargantuan Jidanbo was lifting up the gate completely of his own free will and allowing the Ryoka to enter.

Omaeda said that he'd take on an army if it came through the gate but he was faced him was quite different. A tall teenager, with spiky freakishly bright orange hair and dressed in Soul Reaper clothes stood at the front of the force; armed a gigantic sword wrapped in bandages on his back and a cocky grin on his face. Behind him was a man who seemed to be a giant standing nearly seven feet tall and armed with huge muscle power. Then a pretty school girl dressed in pink, she carried nothing but hairpins in her chestnut-orange hair. Then next to her a teenager with black hair hanging like curtains down his face dressed in white robes, glasses and a short cape. It was a real motley crew. But that wasn't the worst of it, as if to rub it they seemed to be following the lead of a small black house cat.

"Thanks Jidanbo." Said Orange-Haired Ryoka as they passed through the gate and it lowered behind them with a soft crash.

Omaeda felt compelled to speak, with shaky hands he drew his Zanpakuto. "Wh-who are you?" He demanded, in what he hoped was a threatening voice, and raised his spiritual pressure a faze the Ryoka, but also because he really hoped the Captain would come save him.

Orange-Hair Ryoka didn't flinch but grinned evilly and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "Me?" He replied, "I'm Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki from Karakura town. And I'm here..." as he said this he drew his Zanpakuto, its bandages unravelling as if by magic to reveal the sword, a black and white, single-edged, six foot long sword with a curved khyber knife shape, its handle was wrapped it white leather and the plain black pommel was decorated with an arm length white ribbon.

The kid's own spiritual pressure emitted from it and Omaeda could tell that it dwarfed his own. It sent out blast of shaking air, it sent jarring waves right to his bones. Omaeda struggled against it and filled himself with anger, he hefted his sword and called out its name: "smash, Gegetsuburi" He roared as sword released into its Shikai state: a huge mace with terrifying spikes on the and of a long sturdy black chain. With a grunt he hurled the weapon at Ichigo with all his might. But the giant's arm shot out front, suddenly cloaked in what seemed to an arm length black and red glove caught the mace by its chain stopping it with ease and making the club swing helplessly like a pendulum.

Ichigo didn't flinch at all, he merely reached up to pat the giant on the shoulder. "Thanks Chad." Ichigo took a fighting pose in front of his friends. "All right tubby? Ready to dance?" taunted Ichigo, then he and his friends charged into the enemy.

Chad commenced the battle with the lieutenant and ended it with one move. He pulled heavily on the chain and huge Omaeda was still holding onto the other end was hurled off his feet and sent flying face first towards Chad the giant. Chad's left hand reached up and blocked the man's path with his palm. The fat man hung suspended for a moment almost gracefully, then Chad brought his right elbow down on the man's back. With a _BOOM _the stone paving under Omaeda broke like chalk under the impact and the huge lieutenant was buried half way into the ground.

Meanwhile Ichigo Kurosaki rushed Omaeda's patrol, the silk ribbon flapping in the wind. He upon them in an instant, slashing and cutting like a demon. He was very fast given the massive bulk of the weapon, and he made the five feet in front of him a no man land of flashing steel. But despite his great strength, terrible weapon and formidable speed, the squad member's wound were superficial. They were disarmed, scattered with spiritual pressure and hammered with the back and pommel of the sword. But hardly any blood was spilt.

The kid in white who was taking on the over patrol, and who had produced a huge, blue and white bow from nowhere and was now firing off arrow after arrow of blue reishi. But even he was aiming low, hitting Soul Reapers in their legs and arms and in places were they would merely be incapacitated. The Ryoka were having no trouble taking down of the Seireitei's soldiers, without even killing anyone. Even when two of the Soul Reapers made to cut Ichigo from the back, a golden barrier appeared in front of their swords, a barrier that didn't give an inch under their swords.

"Ichigo! Behind you!" Shouted the girl in pink determinedly. Ichigo span around quick as lighting. The barrier scattered returning to the girl's hairpins. Ichigo caught the two in the hook of his swords' back sending the two flying away. Ichigo paused from a moment, placing his sword on his shoulder almost casually and the enemy was afraid to attack him.

"Nice one Orihime." He called to her, looking deadly serious in a way which made her blush.

"You fool!" Pipped up a smoky, deep masculine voice. The cat at Orihime's feet was speaking no ordering them: "These ones made not be strong but stronger ones will come we must retreat!" The boy in white turned back appalled "But Yoruichi we can make it!"

"No Uryu!" Demanded Yoruichi, "If a Captain comes we are finished! We shall retreat and return with less notoriety... where's Ichigo?" Unfortunately before the cat had finished given it's commands, Ichigo was off.

"RUKIA!" He yelled as he speedily dashed past his many fallen enemies, "I'm coming!"

"That idiot!" Cursed Uryu, as he Chad ran ahead of him, hurtling after Ichigo, then Uryu ran on as well. Orihime ran after them with Yoruichi ahead of her. Orihime really didn't want to be left behind.

"Idiot." Muttered Yoruichi as she sprang after him on four legs. But she was grinning inside. The kid remained her of another teenager she had teased a hundred, years ago. One was also likely to fly off the handle. To bad it was him they were going to have to fight.

Ichigo realised two things as he took the lead of their dash through the Seireitei. Firstly he realised that the Seireitei was massive, it would be easy to pass unnoticed if they managed to escape the alert. Secondly he realised that the Seireitei was MASSIVE and he had no idea where to find Rukia. The Seireitei seemed to be constructed of many long empty outdoor corridors and alleyways.

He and his friends, could hear stampeding feet in the next alley over, as soon as they found a cross roads the mob would be upon them, this one probably about three times the size of the last group. Then they heard, coming from the other side. Another group in the next alley over. They found themselves completely outnumbered and to make matters worse there was a crossroads coming up.

Uryu suddenly realised that no matter how stronger they were than the Soul Reapers, if it came to a crowd brawl the rescuers would never win.

"Chad! Orihime!" Shouted Yoruichi, as loudly as a talking cat could ever shout, "defend our sides just like we practised. Ichigo, Uryu, let them go in front." Ichigo fell back but he doubt on his face.

_How can Orihime and Chad possibly stop them? _He thought with doubt as Orihime accelerated in front of him. But she had such a look of determination that Ichigo felt he could rely on her.

They reached the fateful crossroads, with the sound of thunderous footfalls all around them. Just as they passed the corner, Orihime and Chad skidded to a halt. Orihime put her fingers to her hair pins and Chad drew back his gloved right fist back for a punch. At the exact moment where black robed figures were right on top of them.

"Santen Kesshun, I reject!" Orihime ordered, golden light streaking out from her hairpins, flew through the air and formed a golden shield that covered the whole corridor from where the half the Soul Reapers were coming from. The results was immediate and obvious , their leading Soul Reapers crashed into the barrier and were instantly stopped dead. Those behind him collided with them, and a huge pile up was formed. On the other side Chad's methods were far more direct: he threw a mighty punch a huge blast hit the Soul Reapers like a cannon. It travelled throughout the ranks of the Soul Reapers, scattering them like bowling pins.

By the time the barrier had vanished and the Soul Reapers had regained their focus the Ryoka were gone. The two factions began blaming each other for their incompetence. The arguing was so fierce they missed what Yoruichi had seen: on the ground under the sandalled feet of the Soul Reapers, was a man hole.

Deep beneath them in the sewer the only half the Ryoka carried on. In the confusion Yoruichi had only been able to command two of them to escape to the sewer and the other two had clambered over the walls of the alley and escaped in the disarray. Beneath the surface Ichigo, Orihime and Yoruichi stalked towards the centre of Soul Society. They made it quite a distance before Yoruichi said she wanted to return to the surface to see where they were.

"But if you're seen?" Worried Orihime, biting her nails and looking down at the very bossy talking kitty.

"You need not worry about me being caught." Yoruichi assured her. "Even if people see me they will assume that I am a stray cat." Ichigo raised an eyebrow doubtfully.

"I don't know you look too tidy to be some stray." Then an evil smile grew on his face. The follow events transpired in this way:

Yoruichi: No Ichigo, stay away.

Yoruichi: N-no, put me down.

Yoruichi: Don't! Don't ruffle my fur! It takes ages to get clean! Nooooooooooo!

Ichigo: Ow!

Orihime: Yoruichi! That's mean! Apologise right now, bad kitty!

A now much more ruffled and angry looking Yoruichi glared at Ichigo who was nursing claw cuts on his thumb. He still looked pleased with himself. Orihime gave an exasperated sigh. It would be just short of a miracle if they managed to rescue anyone.

High, high up in a great white tower, one more set of eyes saw the magnificent falling walls. Eyes like violet flowers. But they were eyes filled with melancholy. There was no surge of curiosity or excitement. It didn't matter, she had excepted her fate and was prepared to for her inevitable execution. It was no better than she deserved. As her memories brought back waves of despair to crash on her beach of guilt. She thought back to the night. The night where her dear Kaien had died, where he had been possessed and when she had killed him. Then having been a mission in the World of the Living fate through her bait on the hook of fate in the form Kaien's red haired human Doppelgänger: Ichigo Kurosaki. The man who had taken up her role of Soul Reaper, gave her sanctuary in his home, gave her friends and adventures she thought she'd never have. But it had merely been fate reeling her in to punish her for her crimes. Sending her adopted brother to arrest her and kill Ichigo who had surely died protecting her. Tears fell down her face as she remembered her final words to the dying Ichigo: "Don't come after me." It was so not in Ichigo's nature to allow his friends to suffer. But even if he lived, with no strength and it would be impossible for Ichigo get to Soul Society or fight for her. And even if by the greatest of miracles he regained his powers, then history would merely repeat himself and he would merely be slaughtered by her brother, for real this time. She hated herself for what she'd done. She'd given Ichigo the strength he'd always wanted to protect the things he loved. But then she'd let him lose it. Then she'd trapped his heart between his desire to save her and her wishes. The tears fell to the ground as she sobbed. _Truly someone has to end my vulgar life. _Thought Rukia Kuchiki bitterly.


	2. Chapter 2- The Weight of Resolve

Chapter 2 The Weight of Resolve

"My name is Sosuke Aizen. It's a pleasure to meet you." Greeted the stranger in a velvet voice that ought to have comforted them but merely made Ichigo more suspicious. Aizen saw that Ichigo's hand had flown to the handle of his sword. "Please remove your sword, Kurosaki. As you can see." He gently asked upon up his arms as a sign of openness. "I haven't brought my sword." Ichigo gritted his teeth and didn't remove his hand, there was no way he was going to trust a stranger when they were invading Soul Society.

"What do you want?" Ichigo demanded, pulling Orihime behind him with his free hand, ready to charge at any time. Aizen raised his hands to surrender and smiled.

"It's good that you're so protective desire to protect your friends, it's not a common trait. I suppose that's why you are going to rescue Rukia Kuchiki." Aizen hypothesised. Ichigo gaped and his hand fell away from the hilt of his sword, through he was still coiled up ready to spring.

"How did you know that?" He asked, amazed. But Aizen only chuckled a little.

"Ichigo," he said in a way that a patient teacher might, "running through the Seireitei shouting 'Rukia! I'm coming!' is not as discreet as you might think." Aizen swiftly raised his hand to stop Ichigo's angry response. "I like you believe that Rukia is guilty of no crime, in fact many of my peers in the 13 Court Guard Squad Captains believe the sentence is injustice itself. That's why I'm going to help you." Aizen finished now looking deadly serious. Ichigo was reeling from what he had just heard and was completely off guard.

"Captain?" He managed, still swaying from Aizen's revelation.

"Indeed, I am captain of Squad 5. This white coat represents captaincy. If you see others wearing this coat then they are captains too." Aizen told, in a serious voice, "I would seriously advise avoiding them at your current level. Although I suppose you want to fight captain Kuchiki and there's nothing I can do to stop you from doing that, is there?" Aizen mused his eyes furrowed. Ichigo could merely gape, it was as if Aizen was looking through his eyes and delving into his mind. Orihime had pulled arms close to her chest, an infantile expression of self defence. If this man had smothered Ichigo with merely his words then he definitely scared Orihime. Meanwhile Aizen had continued, his eyes drilling into Ichigo, compelling him to understand the gravity of the situation. "There are things going on of which you have no idea, just know that you MUST save Rukia Kuchiki and you must trust that the captains are trying to do the right thing, despite whatever happens." Aizen's voice was smooth but there was a desperation hidden under the silk, like he was trying his best to maintain his calm demeanour but it was becoming frayed at the edges. There was even sweat at his temples and there were cavernous shadows under his eyes. "Please Ichigo." He begged, actually advancing forward to right in front of Ichigo and bowing at his feet, much to Ichigo's horror. "Please Ichigo listen to me for I am not long for this world. Once you save Rukia you must protect Soul Society. I need to know that there is someone there to defend it." Aizen's head was facing the ground, and he could not see Ichigo's face, but Orihime could. Gone was the expression of shock and fear that came from Aizen's terrifying mind. It had now become an icon set in stone. An image that Orihime recognised, it was his face when he had defended her from her brother's claws and sworn to protect her, it was the face of when he had banished the Menos Grande and beat Uryu, and it was the face from when they began their journey to Soul Society and he'd sworn on his life to save Rukia. He'd made a promise and made it so, now nothing would ever stop him.

"Get up Aizen." Said Ichigo's voice, reforged into steel once again.

"A-and then the giant grabbed Gegetsuburi and smashed it into the ground a-and then he pulled-"

"We know, we know." Interrupted Rangiku in a bored voice, "you told us that before, what we asked is what the Ryoka look like and how strong they." The long wooden table was crammed with a bizarre people, for a start there was of Omaeda the obese ninja, then addressing him the beautiful red-haired Rangiku. Omaeda's head was bandaged and his arm was in a sling. He was sitting on a bench in 1st Divisions' Lieutenant Meeting Room, as the other eleven lieutenants gathered around him.

"Yeah, they're crazy strong!" Omaeda exclaimed, "the giant was so strong he grabbed Gegetsuburi-"

"When you say giant," interrupted Shuhei Hisagi, a tall man with a punk look, a clawed scar down his right eye, and an obscene 69 tattoo on his left cheek. (He didn't know what it meant when he got it and he still doesn't.) "Are we talking Jidanbo big or what?" Omaeda scratched his chin looking at the ceiling.

"I'd say he looked nearly two meters tall." He decided, determinedly. A pin dropped in the silence that followed... and everyone heard it.

"So... just a little shorter than you?" Asked Kira, not quite believing that Omaeda could possibly be lieutenant of the squad that prized cunning and secrecy. Surely there had been a clerical error. This was a sentiment shared throughout the Seireitei and it said that the only people who knew was Soi Fon and the Head Captain, not even Omaeda, who if ever asked would say something about his good looks.

"So... not a giant at all?" Asked Momo looking relived.

"What about the leader?" Demanded Renji impatiently. His eyes were wide and glaring. "The one with the sword?"

"Yeah it was huge, as tall as he was. It was always in Shikai and took out my entire patrol without killing anyone!" There a lot of exchanged looks of alarm at the news. Rangiku and Hisagi looked at each alarmed and Momo whispered to herself:

"Is that even possible?"

Omaeda continued, enjoying all the attention he was getting from his peers "-he had orange hair and wore a Soul Reaper Uniform..." the lieutenants had stopped listening, and begun to mutter amongst themselves. Kira's lively eyes opened wide.

"Hey Renji isn't that..." But as he looked round for Renji he found that the space that Renji had occupied beside him was empty. He'd disappeared and so had Momo.

Renji paced forwards, moving into a jog. He was going to chase down that Ichigo and finish him off once and for all.

"Renji!" Came a shout from behind him, Momo had followed him and was running after him. Renji growled, he'd hoped to get away. He might be risking his entire career by going renegade and taking down the Ryoka. He placed a hand on his Zanpakuto's hilt.

"Stay back Momo." He warned with a deadly expression. Momo stopped in her tracks, a furious expression on her face.

"You dropped this." She growled, Momo was normally reserved polite and kind, but Renji and Kira had learned from personal experience that when scorned she could be as ferocious as a tiger. She held in her hand his lieutenant badge: the carved wooden insignia worn on his arm that marked him as a lieutenant of the 13 Court Guard Squads. "You can't go off to fight him." Momo ordered sternly. "I thought I told you that you have nothing to prove. You go off to fight him and you'll simply be throwing your career away!"

"You don't think I know that?!" Shouted Renji, "I don't care about being lieutenant! I don't care if he beat me in world of the living! I don't even care if Captain Kuchiki has me executed too! I'm going to kill him because it's his fault that Rukia's going to be executed!" Renji roared, forgetting all restraint and shouting as loud as he could. Momo was even cowed into silence by his wrathful onslaught.

"R-renji..." Momo tried to say but she was cut over again by a new voice:

"My, my is this how friends speak to each other nowadays?" Came a smooth and winding voice. With a shaking of his starlight silver hair and a moon shaped smile captain Ichimaru Gin, emerged as out the air behind Renji. Renji visibly started but Gin silenced him with a single glance from his closed eyes. (If you didn't someone who has their eyes closed 97% of the time could glance then guess again.) "I certainly hope your not going to hunt down a Ryoka without express permission from your Captain, right lieutenant Abarai?" His words were civil but his words were like snakes constricting Renji and forcing him to submit. Renji shook his head, his skin turning pasty white. "Alrighty then." Gin concluded, releasing Renji from his grasp. "Off you pop to your barracks lieutenant Abarai." Cheered Gin in his pseudo-creepy voice. Renji bowed stiffly and marched away as if he had a metal rod in his back. "Oh, lieutenant." Gin called after him. Renji turned quickly and caught the small object in his hands: his lieutenant badge. "You'll be wanting that." Gin assured him with a sinister smile. Renji nearly sprinted back to the squad 6 barracks.

Gin turned back to Momo, "you ought to go to your barracks too, Hinamori." Said Gin, his eyes now open, revealing shocking electric blue eyes. He voice no longer was no longer writhing snakes but full of concern and worry. "Could you please tell Captain Aizen and tell him this message?"

Momo nodded. "What message?"

"Just this: I'm going to proceed with the experiment and that things are moving faster than we thought." Gin told her cryptically. "Got that? Yes? Then run along lieutenant Hinamori." He said before striding off in the opposite direction. As soon as he was out of sight of Momo he said softly: "Izuru, you can come out now." Without a moment's hesitation Kira was by his captain's side, bowing on one knee. Refusing to meet his eye. "Izuru, if you want to help Renji then follow me. I have a plan. Then they stood away together towards the stairs away from Rukia's white tower.

The stone slab lifted up and slid away the a dull grating and an flash of orange hair emerged. Ichigo clambered out of the hidden sewer entrance and looked left then right, no one in sight. His arm went back into the hole and re-emerged helping out Orihime and Yoruichi, who was perched on her shoulder, like an annoyed black parrot.

"Coast is clear." Ichigo informed them. There was a swallow fog all around them but they could still see the foot of the stairs up to the higher ground of the Seireitei where Yoruichi told them that the white tower where Rukia would be held, called the Senkaikyu.

"Those are the stairs to the Senkaikyu, we should enter under cover of night." Bossed Yoruichi assertively.

"But there's fog, Yoruichi." Protested Orihime. "We could enter now if we masked are spiritual pressure."

"You fool, don't you realise that the fog is lifting?" She was right, as they spoke the fog was rapidly fading away. But as the fog lifted they saw what they had missed: a lone figure in black robes with a drawn sword. He had short blond hair at the back and a fringe that fell down to his left eyebrow. His normally beaming face was a mask of sorrow. Such was lieutenant Kira of squad 3.

"Ichigo the Ryoka, I am lieutenant Kira Izuru of squad 3, and I have come here to arrest you." Called out Kira, but he merely looked regretful and not at all fierce.

"You seem familiar with my name, perhaps you know why I came to Soul Society." Ichigo called back, his face set in a scowl as he drew Zangetsu, it's bandages unwrapping as he did.

"I don't know why you're here." Replied Kira taking up a stance. "And it's not my interest to know. But you should know this: you should surrender now. My captain selected me to do this because he new that I was the perfect person to take you down." Warned Kira, staring Ichigo down. But Ichigo didn't flinch, instead he hefted Zangetsu as prepared to charge.

"I don't care how strong your are." He threw back, his spiritual pressure rising to astonishing levels. "You won't get in my way!" He yelled and then charged.

"Ichigo stop!" Yelled Yoruichi, whilst Orihime stood frozen looking, fragile and helpless.

As the charging Ichigo bore down on him, Kira whispered softly:

"_Raise your head, Wabisuke." _As he said it, his sword warped and became suddenly changed: it turned black and white, changed into a distinctive square 'r' shape, and it's spiritual pressure output increased greatly. Ichigo swung his sword and Kira met it mid flight. _Clang! _The sword's smacked into each other and bounced back. Ichigo brought Zangetsu back with an upwards swing. But for some reason it took far more effort than normal, the slow swing made it easy for Kira to block and respond with his own attack. _Clink, clink, clink. _Kira rather than attack him had smacked Zangetsu, three in a row times in a row. Ichigo sprang back out of the fight.

"What was th-" he began, but then, as if a giant had grabbed his arm, he found himself pulled into the ground. He desperately, looked around, but there was no one there. Kira hadn't moved from his spot and Orihime and Yoruichi were where he left him. Ichigo leapt to his feet and snatched up Zangetsu. Or he tried, for Zangetsu wouldn't move. He placed both hands on and pulled hard, but he barely got the handle sword off the ground.

"Dammit." He cursed, "move, come on move!"

"Didn't I tell you that I was the perfect person to fight you?" Said Kira softly, smoothly gliding towards Ichigo. "My Wabisuke had the power to double the weight of anything it cuts. Normally it takes more more strikes to completely incapacitate someone but with a sword as large as yours it only took four to make it impossible to lift, despite your strength." Ichigo felt the cold steel of Wabisuke's edge on his throat and aren't not breath lest his throat be sliced. "I hate battle." Confessed Kira, quietly to Ichigo. "I hate, combat and hate causing pain. Which is why my Zanpakuto is prefect for me, it forces my opponent to throw down arms and give up war." Ichigo was paralysed, before now he only been prepared for his his enemies to have special attack like Renji and Urahara, he'd considered that they might have such powers as this. Kira continued to speak: "I only fight you now because your presence in Soul Society endangers the life of Renji Abarai." Ichigo's eyes widened when he heard this. Renji Abarai, the one of the Soul Reapers, along with Byakuya Kuchiki who had come to the World of the Living to arrest Rukia. Ichigo had been just shy of finishing him off when Byakuya Kuchiki had stabbed him in the back.

"So," whispered Ichigo, turning his head to look Kira in the eye. "Your nothing this to protect your friend?"

"I am." Confirmed Kira. Suddenly Ichigo blurred, leaping to the side at tremendous speed. But not fast enough. Wabisuke swung and bit him, blood splashing onto the ground. Ichigo was crouched on the ground ten feet away, holding the terrible wound that Wabisuke had inflicted onto his left arm.

"If your fighting to protect your friend..." Gasped Ichigo in between shallow breaths, Zangetsu was at his feet.

_How could he have moved it when it weighed so much? _Thought Kira, amazed at Ichigo's strength.

Ichigo stood on his two feet, Zangetsu's handle in one hand. "...Then we're like minded." Finished Ichigo. "I only came to Soul Society so I could rescue who your _friend _sent to her execution. I won't let that happen." Ichigo swore as he lifted Zangetsu, backhanded, pommel facing Kira. Kira could merely gape as Ichigo took a charging, stance; still perspiring from the effort of holding Zangetsu, blood pouring from his shoulder.

In the back ground Orihime gaped, her hands over her mouth.

"What are you waiting for?" Demanded Yoruichi, "he can't defeat a lieutenant in that state!" But Orihime couldn't move. There was no way he'd loose. Ichigo had promised to get Rukia back. There was no way he'd let a single man get in his way. But now Orihime couldn't see how it was possible for him to win.

"Trust me Kira," gasped Ichigo, he was still exhausted and pale, but now the earth was shaking, the air vibrating, and blue flame burning in his eyes. Then with one step, he pounced forwards, pounding the floor with his feet, Zangetsu's tip tearing a trench in the ground behind them as he ran then with a roar he slammed Zangetsu's hilt into Kira's stomach. Kira was hit a solid wall of Spirit Pressure. Kira was thrown far back into the mountainside with a crunch noise. Then he slid down and slumped like a rag doll. Ichigo fell to his knees and flopped on his face, Zangetsu fell to the ground, but only with quiet clang, the spell broken.

With the flapping of feet Orihime appeared by Ichigo's side.

"There's no time to heal him!" Yoruichi exclaimed, stopping Orihime in her tracks.

"But he's hurt." Argued Orihime her voice full of pain.

"Every squad in the Seireitei will be have felt Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure here soon. We'll get him out of here, heal him and continue."

"Oh will you, Yoruichi?" Came a soft voice from behind them, just as a hand fell on Orihime's shoulder. They spun round terrified. Dark skin, black hair and dim glasses, it was captain Kaname Tosen of Squad 9. Behind him was his lieutenant: Hisagi. And that wasn't all Yoruichi's head turned and saw a concerned looking Ichimaru Gin kneeling over his lieutenant and casting a healing kido.

"Orihime..." said Yoruichi slowly. No one moved, Hisagi looked very angry that his friend had been hurt and Tosen looked totally impassive.

"You have crimes you need to pay for Yoruichi."

"Yoruichi?" Orihime responded, her heart pounding with fear. There were three captain level surrounding her and the intense Spirit Pressure was making her feel weak and shaky.

"Now!" Exclaimed Yoruichi, there was an explosion of and Yoruichi disappeared. Orihime summoned a barrier and threw herself backwards. Completely blind the smoke she heard one the men run forward, a very fast grating and whooshing sound, a man's grunt then silence. The smoke began to clear and she rolled up on the ground out of fear, knees hugged to her chest. She closed her eyes to shut out _the end. _Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up hopefully. But it was Hisagi Shuhei.

"Ryoka," he recited, "I'm arresting you in the name of justice."

Chad and Uryu's luck held out till nightfall. They'd successfully stolen some Soul Reaper uniforms, (though Uryu had had to use his sowing skills to modify Chad's to fit him.) By doing this they were and pretending to be from other squads. They'd were able to find out where Rukia was from a drunk guy called Makizo Aramaki and they'd found out that one of the Ryoka had been arrested.

"What which one?!" Exclaimed Uryu with disbelief.

"How should in know which one?" Slurred Makizo, taking another swig of Sake and stumbling off. Uryu and Chad hung back. Uryu was looking irritated and Chad looked distant.

"How are we going to find them?" Uryu wondered aloud. Night has fallen and all the Soul Reapers were going to bed, so if they were caught by a guard without weapons they'd be in trouble.

"We know where the Ryoka are!" Cried out a voice behind them. They both jumped out of their skin and span around, ready for battle. It was a group of four people, in Sour Reaper clothes, they looked very cheery and not at all suspicious that they wanted to know the location of the Ryoka.

"They were taken by squad 9, we're going in that direction anyway?" The guy who was speaking had spiky ink black hair, and a cheerful smile, overall weirdly handsome. "We're in squad 12, how about you." The weirdly handsome guy from Squad 12, as his friends drew close smiling widely.

"That's very kind of you..." Began Chad as friendly Soul Reapers approached. But Uryu spied something in the shadows behind them.

"CHAD RUN!" Yelled Uryu, summoning his bow just as the Soul Reapers exploded. Three columns of fire shot into the sky that could be seen from all across the Seireitei. When the columns faded away there was nothing burnt out scars on the ground. The one remaining, Soul Reaper, the Weirdly Handsome Squad 12 Guy. Was gaping in horror.

"Captain!" Screamed Weirdly handsome squad 12 guy, turning around and running back to the figure in the background.

"No no." Replied a foul, husky, drawling voice. "These bombs aren't meant to come back." Behind Weirdly Handsome Squad 12 Guy, stood a truly bizarre and horrible man. He was dressed in a captain's white robe, wore a long white hat worn sideways on his head. His skin was smothered with coal black face paint, rimmed with pasty white. It was nearly impossible to tell what about him was natural and not manufactured. By his side was a young, attractive woman, dressed in Soul Reaper uniform with a short skirt, she had a large round bob of hair with bangs on either side of her face and a long ponytail all the way down her back. The strange man held in his hand a disgustingly toyish detonator and his thumb was descending onto the button to wipe the last member of his squad into oblivion. There was a sudden burst of blue light and the man gasped. The blue streak had flown by and severed his thumb from his body before he could push the button.

"Chad." Ordered Uryu with a look of iron determination. "Take the Squad 12 Guy and get out of here, I'll deal with this freak."

"But Uryu you can't..." Protested Chad, but he was cut off by Uryu.

"I can and I will! Now get that guy out of here." Demanded Uryu his voice full of anger. This man was going to pay. Chad scooped up the sobbing Weirdly Handsome Squad 12 Guy over his shoulder and ran in the other direction to Uryu. Feeling for the first time in a long time helplessness.

"That was not a wise decision, sending your friend away." Commented the captain examining, his mutilated thumb. "You clearly don't now my reputation..."

"Oh but I do." Interrupted Uryu, "I know all about you Mayuri Kurotsuchi. And all about what you've done. That's precisely why I sent my friend away. You see if he saw what I'm about to do to you he might not stay my friend."

"I see you are a Quincy yes." mused Kurotsuchi, my my it's been a while since I've one of those specimens. My my it must be about..."

"...Seven Years?" Uryu interrupted once again, fury barely masked.

"Do you mind not interrupting me all the time. Although I am surprised about how you know so much about my experiments." Kurotsuchi wondered aloud, scowling at Uryu and beginning to draw his sword.

"We have a mutual friend." Replied Uryu. "Called Kisuke Urahara." He drew back his bow and announced: "I am Uryu Ishida the Quincy,and this is for my grandfather, you murderer.

Chad's feet pounded on the paving stones as he ran. Behind him could hear Uryu's arrows flying and the sound of broken tiles. Whatever was happening it was clearly a difficult battle. More than anything Chad wanted to turn back and help his friend. But Uryu had asked him not to help. Chad could hear in Uryu's voice that this was something he _had _to do himself. Chad knew a thing or two about such oaths himself. He'd promised his grandfather that he would never use his power to fight for himself but only for others. Ichigo had promised him that if Chad couldn't fight for himself then they would fight for each other. He had to protect Ichigo, no matter what. If that meant invading a squad's barracks then he'd do it, if that meant rescuing Rukia then he'd do it. Which remained him, the sobbing and struggling Soul Reaper bundled over his shoulder could help him find the Squad 9 barracks. He was about to go on when he thought about how Yoruichi had told them to never ever face a captain. Chad has caught in a trap of indecision.

Ichigo's eyes smoothly opened, and the skyline stared back. He began to sit up and felt pain in his torso. He brought his head up to look down down at his body. His abdomen was totally cloaked in bandages, but there was a patch of blossoming red blood. No not not blossoming, retreating. The cut he'd received from Kira was closing by itself until it was completely gone. Perplexed Ichigo looked around, and recognised the bizarre setting. He was lying on the sideways wall of skyscraper. In fact everything was sideways, the buildings were like branches sticking of the tree trunk that was the world. This was his Soul World: the realm inside his soul were his sword spirit Zangetsu lived. He looked around for Zangetsu as he stood up and adjusted his uniform. As he turned he saw Zangetsu: a middle aged man with night black, cloaked in reddish black clothes and sunglasses. He stared intensely at Ichigo, and Ichigo felt an unexplained surge of guilt.

"Hey old man what is it?" Demanded Ichigo, striding towards him. Ichigo suddenly stopped, realising a shocking absence. "Hey, old man where's my sword? Where's Zangetsu?" The figure looked away from him disdainfully.

"He's right behind you." He told Ichigo without meeting his eye. Ichigo was familiar with his sword's spirits' distant attitude but he was was still shocked but nit as shocked by what he saw when he turned around: standing behind him twenty feet away, was himself. Accept it really wasn't him: this Ichigo was a completely white, chalk white clothes, powder white skin and crystal white hair. The only parts of him that weren't white were dark, Ichigo's white belt turned black, the red strap that held Zangetsu was grey and the whites of Ichigo's eyes had turned inky black; cloaking moon-yellow eyes.

"W-who, who are you!" Shouted Ichigo appalled. Then he saw to his horror that the other him had in his hand, the sword Zangetsu.

"Don't recognise me partner?" The other Ichigo replied with a wide and wintry smile, his terrible sounding like his cold voice had been replayed through an echoing computer. "I'm hurt." The other Ichigo commented, began to meander towards Ichigo, swinging Zangetsu back and forth with familiarity. Ichigo could hardly breath with his horror.

"How did you get Zangetsu? Give it back it doesn't belong to you!" He demanded, his voice quavering. The other Ichigo stopped momentarily, his cold smile vanishing and replaced a stormy frown.

"Doesn't belong? Zangetsu doesn't belong to anyone, especially someone like you!" Accused the other Ichigo, his voice condescending and furious. At that moment the other Ichigo charged, bringing Zangetsu up over his head to cut Ichigo down. "Someone like you who thinks that when the call a friend by his name he owns him!" Screamed the other Ichigo as Ichigo leapt out of the way, rolling over and stumbled to his feet.

_A friend? _Ichigo had never thought of Zangetsu as anything more than a weapon, a tool for rescuing Rukia.

"See what I can do with Zangetsu _helping _me, as my companion!" Other Ichigo was on his again and he raised Zangetsu up over his head, ready to bring it crashing down. Ichigo felt an unbelievable surge of power, the very air around the other Ichigo was shaking, tormenting, burning with spirit energy.

W_as Zangetsu always this strong? _Thought Ichigo amazed at the incredible power at the other Ichigo's fingertips

"How can someone like you, who fights alone fight someone like me who has Zangetsu on his side?" Demanded the other Ichigo, bring down the sword and unleashing the power. There was a huge explosion. One that threw Ichigo way off his feet and sent spiralling through the air towards the Zangetsu still standing on the pole. Ichigo's robes were in tatters and his front was scarred and burned from the explosion. He gasped as the air was driven forcefully out of his lungs. He looked up to see that Zangetsu was still on his poll refusing to look at him and that a smoke masked Ichigo from the other him. Ichigo was suddenly beginning to understand what was going on. He knew that both Zangetsu: the man and the sword were part of his soul but until know he'd never appreciated what that meant. Ichigo couldn't win his fights like the last one, racing forwards and dragging Zangetsu through the dirt. He had to be like the other Ichigo who had the sword on his side, wielded it with ease and received help from it do preform powerful attacks like the last one. The other Ichigo emerged through the dense smoke. He was holding Zangetsu by the silk tassel and was swinging it around at a high speed like a buzz saw. Ichigo might have thought it was disrespectful to the sword, but the Zangetsu in the other Ichigo's hand seemed to hum with pleasure, as if it was glad it was finally being wielded correctly. The other Ichigo marched slowly forwards, brimming with pride, confidence and loathing, Zangetsu humming around his head.

_Please Zangetsu _beseeched Ichigo to the Zangetsu behind, whilst still facing the one that was approaching him, _give me another chance _pleaded Ichigo. The other Ichigo released the spinning Zangetsu mid flight, it shot toward Ichigo and sliced his arm as he leapt aside to avoid it. The other Ichigo lazily heaved on the end of the bandage he held and it flew back into his hand, and he began spinning it again.

_Please Zangetsu _he begged, _I won't fight alone any more, it will be you and me. _The over Ichigo was running towards him now, Zangetsu still spinning in his hand.

Ichigo ran straight at the other Ichigo his arm drawn back with no sword in it ready to swing a non-existent sword.

_Just give me One More Chance! _He shouted in his mind, the other Ichigo right on top of him, barrelling down, face alight with delight. Then Ichigo felt a surge of power, he swung his sword, and Zangetsu swung with him. A tremendous explosion lit up in front of him, but it breezed by Ichigo leaving him unharmed. In his hand in black and white, was the sword Zangetsu. He looked around him but neither Zangetsu, his pole or the other Ichigo were anywhere to be seen.

"Thank you, Zangetsu. For giving me another chance."

Uryu's body knew nothing but pain but his mind knew nothing but hatred. He was covered in cuts and there was poison coursing through his blood. He was battered, bruised and depleted of his spirit energy but that meant nothing. Because it was his one chance to kill the man who'd ruined everything. Urahara had taken time to tell him everything, that it was Mayuri Kurotsuchi who had murdered his mother and grandfather as well as countless other so that he could experiment on them in the afterlife. Urahara had even got on his knees and said that it was his fault that Kurotsuchi was in a position to do such terrible things. Urahara had begged Uryu to do what was right and purge he universe of Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Then he'd risen and told him how to kill him. With his first shot Uryu had not only shot off Kurotsuchi's thumb but also infected him with a hollowifaction poison designed by Urahara. It ensured one one thing only, that Uryu's powers would don't just kill Kurotsuchi but remove him existence entirely.

"Are you dead yet?" Came Kurotsuchi's inquisitive voice. He wasn't even concerned about the mild wounds that he'd sustained, or that his companion the young woman was on the floor writhing in agony as her Captain's poison ran through her blood from where Kurotsuchi had mercilessly cut her whilst she tried to hold Uryu down to help her captain. Uryu painfully got to his feet, having to use the Quincy technique Ransotengai to control his limbs like puppets to counter the effects of Kurotsuchi's paralysingly poison. "Oh so you are alive then?" Marvelled Kurotsuchi, tilting his head to the side with surprise and consideration. "You're much more persistent than the other Quincy." He commented neutrally.

"You bastard!" Snarled Uryu, his rage flaring once again, "You're going to pay for what you've done to my people." Uryu reached for the glove which gave him control of his Quincy techniques the Sanrei Glove He grasped the spike that stuck out from the wrist and with a defiant grunt snapped it off. "I swear on my pride as a Quincy!" He roared, his spiritual pressure rising at a humongous rate. With his inhibitor taken off, he was pooling all of the huge amounts of reishi in the area and bringing them under his control. There was so much reishi that it struggled and kicked under his grasp, it shone with a blinding light and whistled like a wrathful wind. Kurotsuchi stopped to gape at the tremendous power billowing on Uryu's right shoulder like an angelic wing.

"What is that?" Kurotsuchi demanded, his eyes wide like a child in a chocolate factory.

"This is my ultimate technique." Uryu told him in a powerful voice full of pride. "The Letzt Stil. The height of Quincy power. You cannot stand against the technique."

Kurotsuchi, was licking his lips. "None of the 2661 Quincy I previously researched could use this power. I'm very impressed. You'll be very fun to research."

"..." Replied Uryu, he had lost all strength of will and was starring at the floor. "How... how many Quincy did you say?"

"2661," Kurotsuchi replied with pride, "2662 if we include you."

"Oh." Hushed Uryu, his shoulders shaking, "that's a pity." He turned his head up and looked Kurotsuchi dead in the eye, eyes full to the brim with despair. "That's what you said, see I was about to spare you, even though someone begged me to kill you. I was going to spare you." He told the monstrous man without a hint of anger. "I never wanted to kill you: UNTIL RIGHT NOW!" Bellowed Uryu. In a flash of blue-white light Uryu was now cloaked in new clothes, a white brace for his bow arm and his bow had taken on a strange construct. Uryu drew back his bow and all of his power was drawn back into a single arrow.

Kurotsuchi raised his sword with alarm and began "Ban-" but that as far as he got. Uryu had used new found power to move at unfathomable speeds like a crouch at Kurotsuchi's feet. At point blank range he released his power. The world turned white for Uryu, the sound of a rocket surrounded them and the change in pressure turned the air around them to become a hurricane. The monumentally powerful arrow fired high, high into the sky, where it hit the boundary of the Seireitei and exploded in a supernova of blue reishi. Uryu, when his eyes had cleared of white spots he looked down. The only thing left of Mayuri Kurotsuchi was a large pool of white goo spread over a large area, a white goo that squirmed and dragged itself towards a drain. Urahara had told Uryu that this was one of Mayuri Kurotsuchi's many defence mechanisms: to turned to goo and escape whilst people thought he was dead, but Uryu was prepared for this, he drew from his pocket a bag of red beads. More of the hollowfication poison that Urahara had given him. If he could administer it to Kurotsuchi whilst he was in goo mode then he could accelerate the poisoning process along with the Pfiel von Licht. Then the Quincy extermination process would be complete. Uryu stood high above what remained of the former captain.

"Sayonara." jeered the Quincy with a sneer and emptied the beads over the puddle. Then the red beads fizzed excitedly and disappeared within seconds.

"Q-quincy." Stuttered a croaky voice to his right. The captain's subordinate, who was leaning against the wall, had come to and was peering at him through half closed eyes. Racked with pain he stumbled over to her and knelt by her side. "My name is Nemu. Thank you for sparring my father's life." She thanked him, with the faintest of smiles.

"He's your father?!" Asked Uryu, shocked and appalled that this polite and beautiful girl could come from such a monster.

"He created me." She explained weakly, "I'm not a real spirit, I'm artificial, he's the closet thing I have to a father."

"But he treats you so badly!" Exclaimed Uryu, temporarily forgetting about the agonizing pain of Kurotsuchi's poison. When Kurotsuchi's poison had incapacitated the two of them, Kurotsuchi had demanded that Nemu finish him off because he didn't care. But when she couldn't since Kurotsuchi had paralysed her, he went over to her immobilised body and began to horrendously kick and beat her. Despite the fact that it was his fault that she was unable to move.

"When I was hurt you fought to defend me." Nemu whispered, still smiling. "No one's ever done something so kind for me." Uryu found that he couldn't meet her eye. She was saying that he was a good man for sparing her father whilst he was really making him disappear from existence.

"I-I can't..." He began before he gasped and crouched from the surge of agonising pain. The poison's effects were getting worse, he didn't have long to live.

"Drink this." Nemu gently commanded, slowly passing him a bottle of green liquid. "It's the antidote to the poison, drink it quickly."

"No." Uryu told her, "you're hurt too, you must take it."

Nemu smiled again. "You are very kind but I am immune to the lethal affects of the poison. I will recover soon."

Uryu stared her down. "How do I know this isn't a trap?" He demanded, torn between his distrust of Soul Reapers and his trust of the pretty woman.

Nemu just gave a quiet and painful laugh. "There wouldn't be much point in poisoning you now would there." Uryu could not deny the truth behind this and, bracing himself, uncorked the bottle and took a swig of it's contents.

He it's taste was terribly sour but he drained it anyway. It spread through his body with a surge of shuddering warmth. The pain immediately started to fade and Uryu found himself able to move his limbs freely.

"Thank you." He told her, and being so exhausted sat down next to her against the wall. There were several moments of silence. In the aftermath of Uryu's battle complete silence had fallen. There was no sound of pursuit or rescue. Just what remained of Mayuri Kurotsuchi dragging himself into the sewer.

"You have won the fight Quincy, so why are you so sad?" Asked Nemu, who seemed to have recovered somewhat.

"Call me Uryu." Replied Uryu. Should he tell her why he was feeling so down? Would it be wise? It didn't matter he told her right then. "I'm sad." He told her, "I'm sad because I can no longer help my friends fight. That last attack was my _last _attack. I have lost all my powers." Uryu confessed, it was very unlike him to give up information like this, but he felt like he had to tell someone.

"Why would you give up your power?" Asked Nemu perplexed, cocking her head like an inquisitive puppy.

"Because I had to protect my friends!" Uryu exclaimed, shocked at the look of surprise that bloomed across her face.

"Friends?" She mused, as if it was a word from a far off-land. Then there were footsteps fast approaching. Uryu's head whirled around, terrified of facing battle without any powers. A hulking figure loomed over him, a shadow of a man with two heads!

"Uryu." Came a familiarly deep, gentle and alarmed voice. Chad! Chad had come back and was still had an unconscious Weirdly Handsome Squad 12 Guy on his back. Chad picked him up in a fireman's carry and hoisted him over his shoulder. "Let's get out of here." He said calmly and he began to run away. As he was carried away he looked back and saw Nemu, now standing in the middle of the street, politely waving him goodbye.

Ichigo woke up again. He looked around, expecting to still be in his inverted city, but he was not. The room was paved with cut stone stone, and light only filtered in through the gaps in a closed wooden gate like a portcullis. By his side was a very intense looking black cat, it was staring at him intently as if it had been waiting for him to wake up.

"Yoruichi?" He croaked, his throat was parched and his head hurt dully, his body was crying out for water. His torso was wrapped tight with bandages, clamped tight around him like fangs. "Where am I? What is this place?" He sat up slowly, wincing at the pain in his side from were Kira had cut him.

"You're in my hideout." Yoruichi told him in a stern voice. "I took you here so that you could recover from your wounds."

"That's fine isn't it, Orihime can just heal my wounds no problem, right?" Ichigo offered, looking around for his friend. "Where is Orihime anyway?"

"I left her behind." Yoruichi told him matter of factly.

Ichigo was enraged, he spun round, "YOU DID WHAT?!" He roared, then collapsed as the yell caused his wounds to reopen agonizingly.

"Be careful." Ordered Yoruichi, "I won't be held responsible if you open your wounds and bleed to death."

Ichigo was still thrashing, with his hand over his wound, but after a moment he stopped and glared at Yoruichi. "How could you leave her behind?" Ichigo demanded, he couldn't believe that Yoruichi could have abandoned Orihime. "You should have left me behind and taken her!"

"Be silent!" Ordered Yoruichi very angrily, it was alarming how intimidating a cat could be. "I could only carry one of you and you were bleeding to death! There were three captain level fighters around us! I barely had enough time to transform and flash step away as it was!" The cat was shouting at Ichigo now, clearly not liking it's authority being challenged.

Ichigo's anger had been flushed away by sudden confusion. "Transform?"

The cat suddenly seemed smug. "Oh, my transformation? Guess I never mentioned it." The cat told him, as if it were perfectly ordinary for a talking cat to be able to transform.

Ichigo stared at the cat. "What do you transform into?" He asked, genuinely fascinated.

Orihime Inoue wanted to be left alone. After all her friends had abandoned her. She'd always felt that she didn't belong on this rescue mission, but she'd thought she'd be useful, but apparently that wasn't the case. After all it was Ichigo who really wanted to help Rukia, the one who really lov-. Orihime shook her head as tears fell into her lap. She was in a prison cell, wooden prison bars sealing her inside and morning light from a bared window trickling in. Apparently no one had realised that her hair pins were the source of her power because they were still in her possession. The night had passed and there was a bed set up for her but she hadn't slept a wink. She had merely sat and pitied herself, in between periods where the lieutenant with the obscene face tattoo, would come to interrogate her. At first she had resisted telling him anything. But Ichigo had announced to Kira and Aizen that he was going to save Rukia so it was hardly a secret and at the moment she didn't have a lot of loyalty for her friends. They were so busy trying to rescue Rukia that couldn't rescue her. So she told the bare minimum, such as that they were going to rescue Rukia, their names and the fact they were humans but she wouldn't tell them their abilities or how they got to Soul Society, merely saying that they opened the Senkaimon. She also didn't say anything about meeting Captain Aizen in the sewer once he'd sworn both her and Ichigo to secrecy.

So it came as a surprise to her, when she heard two voices coming from down the corridor, one male, one female. The male voice was loud but sounded like it was trying to be kind, the other was shrill and furious. Orihime went up to the bars of the cell. She heard part of the shouted conversation before they reached her cell.

Male Voice: I'm telling you Momo, she hasn't left her cell since she got here.

Female Voice: She knows Shuhei, she knows why it happened.

Male Voice: But when I asked her-

Female Voice: She's lying, I know it.

The owners of the voices came into view. Four Soul Reapers: Hisagi with the obscene tattoo, a short woman with a furious expression her face who must've been Momo, then some people she couldn't identify, a man with extremely Scarlett hair and an angry face and a quite woman with a long pony tail.

Momo threw herself at the bars and glared at Orihime with utter loathing in her eyes. So much so that Orihime recoiled from it, and looked beseechingly at Hisagi to help her. But all the help that he offered was to look pleadingly at her and ask her to stop whilst she completely ignored him. The third figure simply closed his eyes and leant against the opposite wall.

"Why'd you do it!" Momo demanded venomously, her eyes like lasers burning into Orihime's flesh.

"Do what?" Orihime asked in response, raising her arms helplessly to shielding herself from Momo's gaze.

"You know what you did!" Momo accused, "you murdered captain Aizen!"

Orihime felt a gasp escape her lips. For the brief period where she'd met captain Aizen she thought that he was an extremely charming and kind person, and now a mere a day after she'd met him, after he'd sought her and Ichigo out and begged for her help. Now he was dead. Gone.

_I guess his prediction was right. _Orihime thought to herself. _He really wasn't long for this world. _"Captain Aizen's dead?" She asked allowed.

Hisagi's eyes snapped to hers. "You knew Captain Aizen?" He asked. She hadn't mentioned it during their interrogation.

"I didn't kill him." Orihime told her in a bewildered and subdued voice. "I was here, under arrest."

"Then the other Ryoka!" Exclaimed Momo, her knuckles turning white as she grasped the bars of the cell. She was scrabbling for explanation, Orihime could tell.

Hisagi knelt down to Momo's level "Momo." He told her in a kind voice, "the Ryoka with her was badly wounded by Kira, there's no way it could've been him."

"Captain Kurotsuchi and I confronted the other two Ryoka." Spoke up the woman at the back. "I can guarantee that it was not Uryu Ishida and I find it unlikely that it was the other one. We will know for certain when Unohana concludes her autopsy."

Momo looked far more angered by these words than calm. She pressed her forehead against the bars of the cell and turned her gaze to the floor. "Th-then there must be more Ryoka right Nemu?" She pleaded, refusing to accept that she could not bring someone to justice.

"I see." Said Orihime, her voice filled with empathy and sadness, "you loved captain Aizen." Hisagi winced, and looked away. The man against the back wall grunted, but didn't look up. Momo's eyes snapped up to her, aghast.

"N-no" she protested her eyes beginning to glisten, "I-I don't love. I didn't-"

"It's alright." Comforted Orihime, approaching the bars and giving Momo a compassionate smile, "I understand."She told her, and took one of her hands. It lost all of its tension and Momo let her hold it. Momo lost her anger and allowed Orihime to take her hand. "You wanted him to notice you right?" Asked Orihime, her eyes beginning to tear up. "You wanted to be able be strong so that you can help him, so that you'll be useful to him." Momo's eyes also began to fill with tears. Orihime continued "you love him because he's there for you, because he stands by you, because he's invincible and you feel invincible when your with him. Right." _Just like I love Ichigo _she realised, the boy who never let her down, who could be beaten but never defeated, who would travel to the ends of the Earth and beyond to save a friend. A _friend _like Rukia.

Momo couldn't stand it any longer, her tears erupted from her and with a sob she reached through the bars and hugged Orihime close, bawling into her front.

Hisagi looked relieved and sorrowful, Nemu looked slightly confused but the final figure still leaning against the wall gritted his teeth and stood up, his eyes open and glaring.

"Momo get away from her!" He ordered, he looked totally furious. "Don't you remember what her friend did to Kira?!"

Hisagi barged in between Momo and the other man angrily. "Renji." He demanded "do you have to bring this up now? Momo is upset."

"Of course she's upset." Renji cut across, her captains dead and one of her closest friends is seriously injured. If Ichimaru hadn't intervened he could have been arrested for disobeying orders, and it's all Ichigo's fault!"

Orihime looked at him sharply, "Ichigo has been trying to rescue Rukia, who you arrested. If you lot didn't keep getting in his way she'd be free by now and we'd leave you all alone."

Renji didn't back down but looked at her as if she'd said something stupid, he replied angrily. "I don't need Ryoka to rescue Rukia, I'll do it myself even if I have to..." He stopped abruptly, clearly he had said far too much.

Hisagi and even Nemu looked totally appalled. "Renji, what are you saying?" Asked Hisagi looking seriously concerned, "you're going to turn against Soul Society?"

Renji looked furious at himself as well as Hisagi. "Shut it Shuhei." He ordered and rounded on Orihime who was still holding the sobbing Momo close. "Are you forgetting how my fight with your Ichigo ended. Your friends lying, bleeding in the street." Boasted Renji, despite the fact that he had only defeated Uryu and had to be rescued by his captain from Ichigo. "Well guess what girl. When officers go to the world of the living they have limiters placed on themselves. That means that when we fought I was at a mere 20% of my power. Do the maths Girlie. I'm five times stronger now then Ichigo and I last met." He was standing by Momo's side and staring into Orihime's face, his eyes full of anger and... something else Orihime was sure. Frustration? Worry? Self Loathing?

Orihime, suddenly realised Renji's weakness. The only weakness that could cause Renji to betray Soul Society, the one that had also broken Momo and left Orihime ready to betray her friends. "Why would you ever try to stop the man-" Orihime asked him absolutely innocently, unfazed by Renji's glare, "-who was going to save the woman to love?"

The reaction was tremendous, Renji stumbled back as if he'd been shot, a look of horror on his face. Hisagi looked at the floor cleared his throat and announced "Momo why don't we go visit Kira at Squad 4."

Momo detached from Orihime's grasp, looked at her with bleary eyes and whispered "thank you." Hisagi took her gently by the arm and wordlessly led her out of Orihime's view, towards the exit.

Orihime and Renji had been left alone. Aside from the ever silent Nemu, who merely carried on observing as if this was just another experiment.

Nemu approached Orihime. She stood very close indeed. Orihime even backed up a little to protect her personal space. Nemu whispered matter of factly her ear: "Your friend Uryu is on his his way, as well as Chad." Orihime stared at her in shock, both at the fact that she was betraying Soul Society by telling her this, and that her friends were indeed coming to rescue her.

"Thank you." Replied Orihime, stepping back and bowing, respectfully.

Then it was only her and Renji, the two of them separated by the bars of her cell.

Renji had fixed his eyes to the floor and spoke up only when Nemu was gone. "Why are you _really _here?" Asked Renji, much calmer now but sounding far more tired and exasperated.

"I told you." Said Orihime, "we came to rescue Rukia."

"But why would you do that for her?" Renji pleaded with her, "you knew her for so little time yet your putting your life on the line to save her. That Ichigo even stole her powers, why would he help her at all?"

"Because she's the one who changed everything." Orihime, told him, her voice made of strength but some misery. Rukia _had _changed everything, she'd saved them all "if she hadn't _given_ Ichigo powers I'd be dead, killed by hollows," she replied, meeting his eye and recounting their encounters with Rukia. "Chad would have died protecting a spirit from a hollow, and Ichigo... well Ichigo would never have begun to live." Orihime felt great gratitude to Rukia, she was her friend, she and Ichigo had saved her life and because of that she'd gotten powers that allowed her to stay by Ichigo's side. But Orihime had to wonder: didn't Ichigo spend a lot of time with Rukia even when they weren't doing Soul Reaper duties. If Orihime had been kidnapped instead of Rukia would Ichigo have gone so far to save her?

She and Renji stood there. On either side of the bars, a cloak of silence had fallen over them and they were both lost in a flood of confusion, asking themselves the same question: _Does the one I love love me back?_

_Author's notes:_

The deviations are beginning to become apparent now, but new mysteries are being formed.

I feel like some of these need to be explained: Ichigo does not fight Renji because Gin Ichimaru is either plotting something or is being genuinely kind, Orihime has been abandoned and captured (again). Surprisingly the date of the Uryu VS Kurotsuchi was not changed for reasons that shall be explained, but still more surprisingly Weirdly Handsome Squad 12 Guy survived. Could he be a greater factor in events to come? Or is he just one of my favourite minor characters? Find out in the later chapters (hopefully).

I tried to make this chapter as long as possible, and it took much longer to write than the first one. I aimed for ten thousand words and came pretty close, making this the longest piece of fiction I've ever written.

I give my thanks to Bleach List Girl for inspiring me to write about Weirdly Handsome Squad 12 Guy. I also thank my parents for making sure that I occasional stopped writing this story and instead revise for my imminent exams.

Next time read about the Emergency Captains meeting, the next actions of of the Ryoka and discover more about the apparent death of Aizen. In the next Chapter I'll introduce more fan favourite characters such as everyone's favourite **short**-tempered Captain, and my favourite Captain of all.

Please leave a review so I can get advice about what you want to see or I should change. I'd appreciate any constructive criticism you have especially in regard to spelling and grammar.


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